The price of the question

A rabbi spent his whole life teaching that all the answers to our questions are in ourselves, but his congregation insisted on consulting him about everything they did.

One day, the rabbi had an idea. He placed a notice on the door of his house, saying:

‘Answers to questions – 100 moedas per answer.’

A shopkeeper decided to pay the one hundred moedas. He gave the rabbi the money and said:

‘Don’t you think that’s rather a lot to charge for a question?’

‘Yes, I do,’ said the rabbi. ‘And I have just answered your question. If you want to know anything else, you’ll have to pay another one hundred moedas, or else look for the answer inside yourself, which is far cheaper and much more efficient.’